Are you looking for a quick and affordable way to give your old room a breath of fresh air? Painting can transform your boring-room into the ideal living space with dazzling and new colors. But when it comes to painting, choosing the right type of paint is just as important as the color.
At this stage, you might be wondering whether to use oil-based paint or water-based latex paint. But before making your decision, you’ll want to know the differences between the two.
So, here’s what you should take into consideration:
Oil-based or latex paint – which one is better?
Oil-based paints have been around in the industry for quite some time now. They’ve been the most popular type for the past 50 years. But advances in paint technology and with the creation of latex paint, the trend has recently shifted. Today, about 80% of the residential painting is done with latex-based paint.
Pros and Cons of Water-based Paints
Latex paints also referred to as acrylic paints, are fast drying water-based paints. This type of paint derives its name “latex” from the resin or binder. It is environmentally friendly with fewer dangerous organic compounds compared to oil-based paints. You can clean latex paints easily with just soap and water.
Water-based paints are popular and can be used in almost any part of your home, from exteriors and trim to interior walls and woodwork. Due to its excellent adherence to interior walls, latex paints are naturally resistant to common paint failures like flaking, blistering, and peeling. They allow your walls to breathe and are thus more fade resistant. So, we recommend latex paints on most of your walls and household uses.
Water-based paint is not a recommended choice in high-moisture areas like the bathroom and kitchen. So, oil-based paints, also known as alkyds, are best for areas of heavy wear like trim, floors, and cabinets. So, they give you a hard and durable finish and due to high viscosity, fewer coats are needed. Alkyds have a longer drying-time than latex paint and have a strong odor when drying. It’s thicker and harder to work with and is more likely to crack and fade over time. It contains more dangerous organic compounds and is not the most environmentally friendly. If you accidentally splash, you need to use chemical solvents such as mineral spirits or paint thinner to clear them up.
Although, due to advancements in technology, latex paints are now quite durable for exterior use and should be suitable for most bathrooms and kitchens. But for surfaces that are frequently touched, like doors and windows; oil-based paints are still a popular choice for some.
Can I shift between latex and oil-based paints?
Now that you’ve read the pros and cons of both the products, you may be wondering whether or not you should switch to one or the other. So, here’s how you should go about it. If you already have a surface painted with latex, don’t switch to oil-based paints. Although it is possible, we recommend that if you already use latex paint it is best to stick with that.
However, you can easily switch to latex paint over an oil-based paint finish. For that, you need to prepare the surface properly with sanding and applying primer. Once it’s dry, you can apply the latex paint.
Time To Call The Experts
Painting has been an instrumental part of our society. It not only beautifies our walls but also provides added protection to the surfaces. But a painting project can simply turn into a real struggle if the products are not chosen correctly. So, whether you’re confused between the different sheens of paint or the exact type of paint, we’re here to help.
We’ve got the knowledge and experience, so call us now at (508) 250-7272 or visit our contact us page and schedule a FREE ESTIMATE!